The present invention relates to vending machines and, more particularly, to a vending machine and method for managing discounted purchase transactions.
Many public areas are fitted with machines for vending food, beverages and other small items. In known vending machine designs, each item available for purchase has a purchase price and is dispensed when sufficient funds have been inserted. Recently, a machine has been proposed which changes the price of soft drinks in response to local weather conditions. Whether such a machine will be met with favor remains to be proven.
The patent literature describes vending machines that provide volume discounts and incentives to their users. U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,346 discloses a subscription system in which customers pre-pay for a particular vending machine product. Subscribers identify themselves using a code and realize a per unit discount as compared to non-subscribers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,326 similarly discloses a discount to xe2x80x9cvend cardxe2x80x9d users as compared to cash users. Also, redemption points may be awarded for purchases using the vend card, though such points are recorded separate from the card holder""s remaining purchase credit balance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,570 describes a vending machine that vends items at a discount from an initial price provided that the full price is paid for a first item in the same transaction. The first item purchase must always be at full price. U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,792 also discloses a control circuit which provides volume discounts in vending machines. Collectively, these systems still fail to provide follow-on purchase incentives to encourage random consumers to return to one or more vending machines to make additional purchases within a relatively short period of time after having made a first purchase.
What is needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a vending machine that provides random customers with incentives to make further purchases. The present invention satisfies this and other needs.
The present invention provides a vending machine that dispenses an item at multiple price points, depending on whether the customer has provided proof of a prior purchase from the same vending machine or a machine connected to that vending machine. The benefits of the present invention result free of any subscription or pre-payment as in prior art systems, and can direct a random consumer toward particular items based on information maintained in a data store associated with the vending machine. Consequently, random consumers can become faithful customers through discount incentives which will continue to be provided so long as the consumer complies with any restrictions (e.g., on timing or item selection).
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method is described for enticing a further sale at one or more vending machines. In this method, a customer is provided with a proof-of-purchase (POP) identifier in response to a first purchase from a first vending machine. The POP identifier is thereafter received at a second vending machine that ordinarily vends each of its items at respective predetermined prices. However, a particular item is vended from the second vending machine for less than its predetermined price in response to the receipt of the POP identifier.
The first and second vending machines can be the same machine in some embodiments, but if they are different machines, the method preferably includes the additional step of providing a communication link between the first and second vending machines. Importantly, when a single vending machine implements this aspect of the invention, a discount is provided in a separate purchase transaction, and further discounts can be realized by a customer if additional POP identifiers are used in further purchase transactions.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an improved vending machine is described. The vending machine is of the type that dispenses one or more items, each item ordinarily being dispensed at a predetermined price. The vending machine includes a means for receiving a first proof-of-purchase (POP) identifier, a processor configured to permit at least one of the items in the machine to be dispensed for less than the predetermined price in response to the first POP identifier, and a means for selectively dispensing a second POP identifier in accordance with a rule base as a function of the dispensed item.